if you could only own one, ar15 or garand?

[Tennesseean]

Garand. No competition.

With a Garand, generally speaking, if I can see it, I can shoot it. With iron sights.

Ammo for a Garand may be more expensive than for an AR-15, but in the absence of rounds in the magazine I can be assured that I am still holding a very intimidating and potent weapon: a club. It's a Louisville Slugger and Sherman Tank all rolled into one menacing rifle!

 

[FlyinBryan]

im not so sure that "cheaper ammo" has merit for the ar15's case.

i thought that too till i found out that you can get m2 military ball 30-06 for 67 dollars per 240rds.

brass case, non corrosive, boxer primed, and reloadable.


you mcan even get 192 rds already in en-block clips for 62 bux.

 

[amwdc]

garand ,if i hit something i know its going to drop on the first shot (I hunt) no disrespect to the ar guys i know shot placement is critical but i wouldn't want to go after moose with a ar15 ,or a bear , that would be suicide ,plus when i pick up a garand and think "this is the rifle the greatest generation carried " my first impression of the ar 15 wasn't good. my buddie built a stag arms m4 look alike. Its as accurate as hell ,sights are great stripping couldn't be any easier,recoil ......what recoil,my only thing against it is that it every time u clean it its its a pain to clean (bolt in particular ) and id u don't clean them locking lug recess's good it jams,that what happened to me . the only 2 fault i can see in the garand is weight ,and the e block clip .

 

[Deepskyy]

Based on weight, ergonomics, and magazine capacity, AR all the way.

 

[missouri dave]

Garand!

 

[jdc1244]

I do own only one: a Garand; zero interest in an AR.

 

[Tinpig]

I own both, and I carried both an M14 and an M16 in the service.
I like my AR ok, but I'm voting M1 all the way.
Tinpig

 

[mjkten]

I have to vote for the AR. There is every evidence that the current adminstration intends to rebuild our society into a socialist state. That will include restrictions on gun ownership by every means. So-given the huge availability of ar's I would have to vote for the AR. Next gun, something in a larger caliber.

 

[Boba Fett]

AND COMING DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY, IT'S THE GARAND BY A NOSE!!!

So-given the huge availability of ar's I would have to vote for the AR.

True, there are more AR's out there.

But what about the dependability/reliability? I always thought the garands were a more of a drop-it-in-the-mud-keep-fighting rifle and the ARs are a bit more touchy and need a bit more care and maintenance? What do the rest of you think?

I agree with you though. If it comes to defense/government collapse, I'd go with the AR too. But I wouldn't feel at a disadvantage if I had to use a garand. And as I said in an earlier post, the garand is a classic.

 

[gvnwst]

Dang, 2 hours in the AR had a 3/4 lead! Now we are losing to that, that, thing.

 

[possum]

the ar! why? because that is what i am trained on and the best with. it meets my needs better, light, red dot etc.

 

[krs]

A Garand is a rifleman's weapon.

 

[Crunker1337]

AR-15:

Magazine capacity
Ammunition cost
Lightweight
Adaptable
WAY customizable

 

[High Planes Drifter]

AR for me.

 

[Float Pilot]

I spent 30 years instructing with ARs or commanding troops trying to keep their AR running.

The AR is not a new wonder weapon. It is a 50 plus year old design with 50 years of trying to make it reliable.

I have a couple, but I would not take either one if I had a reliable Garand to take instead. And I am not nuts about Garands either.

 

[Crow1108]

AR for versatility. You can have any caliber upper from .22 LR to .50 BMG (single shot, yes, but still a .50). You can go long range or CQB. You can make a pistol out of it, or you can have an accurate prarie dog popper. You can have any magazine capacity from 5 to 100 rounds. You can go the NFA route and get the group therapy option. It also seems like spare parts are alot easier to get (and replace).

 

[zoom6zoom]

The Garand. Turning cover into concealment for over sixty years.

 

[latisimusd]

My vote goes to the M1 Garand - can be used as game hunter or defense. Nostalgic, tough as nails, and very accurate. I may be jaded by the historical side!

 

[Javelin]

IF that AR is a Noveske.... well then that is an easy decision.

 

[Utah1]

After spending 4 years carrying around an M16, the rifle never out of arms reach, I just don't have much love for the thing. And that was 20 years ago.

I also can't stand any product that has the word "tactical" in it.

 

[ROAshooter]

Garand.......had an AR.....

 

[IndianaBoy]

well, thats an easy one. i voted ar15. mostly because almost all (including our beloved garand) old military rifles are butt ugly the ar, is no beauty queen, but at least it looks decent

 

[C-grunt]

+1 there. The Garand is a beautiful rifle.

Also, I dont think the argument that an AR/M16 is not a "riflemans rifle". They dont teach spray and pray shooting in basic training. Hell, when I went through, if your rifle ever went to burst it was an instant smoking. The irons on an A2 are very good and a standard rifle will easily shoot out to 500 meters. I did that several times in the Army.

 

[Ignition Override]

Ammo prices are a factor, but were not stated in the survey choices.

The Garand looks like a powerful combat rifle and has wood.
But maybe some of us are brainwashed by watching so many more old movies about WW2, and watched "combat" with Vic Morrow in 1965.

If the costs for a Garand and ammo had been nearly as cheap as those for the Mosin Nagant, I would have been at the river yesterday blasting holes in an empty juice jug with 30-06, instead of enjoying the seductive smell of Russian laminated wood, metal and the burned powder produced in Sofia, Bulgaria (1952).

Indiana Boy:
You have a true Foxy Babe, but you don't cherish her.
I find our combat rifles attractive, and the gas tube is on the bottom, compared to the weird industrial inverted plumbing on the SKS and AK. Before you insult your Babe, look at the receiver on any SKS....the 'Tonka dump truck' of combat rifles, but except for the rear part, not too bad.

 

[Ignition Override]

Sorry, not a high-tech old fart here.